Valparaiso University continued the annual spring game with a beautiful, sunny, brisk, April Saturday morning at Brown Field where the Gold defeated the Brown 98-74.

With a modified scoring system using points, the offense (Brown) took on the defense (Gold).

The Gold team came out to a strong start after the Brown team marched down the field. Colin Burke (Orlando, Fla./Freedom H.S.) had the game’s first sack on quarterback Quinn Schafer (Roanoke, Ind./Bishop Luers H.S.) which began the eight-point defensive series for the Gold team.

Quarterback Ben Lehman’s (Elgin, Ill./Saint Edward Central Catholic H.S.) pass to Mike Gerton (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein H.S.) for a 30-yard explosive play was the Brown team’s first highlight of the day. The next play the two players hooked up again for a 33-yard explosive play for a touchdown. The two plays brought the Brown team within seven points only trailing 23-16.

Eric Slenk (Holland, Mich./Christian H.S.) converted a big fourth down play which led to a 13-point drive for the Brown team bringing the game to 37-35, led by the Gold team.

Lehman’ssecond touchdown pass of the game to Kent Warren (Mission, Texas/Veterans Memorial H.S.) tied the game at 45.

Defensive back Keith Larson’s (Belvidere, Ill./North H.S.) interception for a 10-point defensive stop gave the Gold team a comfortable 87-61 lead that the Brown team was never able battle back from.

After a four-point three-and-out, and fourth down stop, the Gold team closed the game with a 98-74 victory over the Brown team.

“We wanted to come out with intensity and demonstrate our athleticism,” head coach Dale Carlson said of his goals for this game. “The defense was very active and playing extremely physical. We’re light years ahead of where we were this past season and we expect to keep improving.”

Valparaiso will open the 2012 regular season on Aug. 30, hosting Saint Joseph’s (Ind.). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.